Zuppetta di lenticchie

Lentils in tomato sauce
Our original home cooking

The lentils stew is a classic dish of Italian cuisine. You can make it only with lentils, tomatoes and aromatics and you have a great vegetarian dish. But you can add sausage, if liked and it becomes a main dish, typical of the cold months. The recipes do not change. Choose what you prefer.

Lentils in tomato sauce recipe

preparation and cooking

- Drain the lentils and put in a pan together with the onion, puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf water and wine.
Control the water covers the lentils very well.

- Bring to the boil on high heat.

- At this point lower the flame and continue cooking, half-covered, for about 40-45 minutes stirring now and then.

- In the meanwhile remove the peel from the sausage and cut it into very small pieces.

- Add the sausage pieces to the lentil soup after 20 minutes.
So their cooking time will be about 20 to 25 minutes.

- Remember to keep some boiling water apart.
So you can add it to your lentils with tomato sauce if necessary.

- Keep covered the lentils while boiling.

- When the lentils are tender, switch off the gas.
Add the chives and parlsey and stir very well.

Just before serving

- If you serve immediately, season to taste with salt, pour in the oil and stir.
Your dish is ready.

- If you cook your lentil stew some hours ahead, heat it up, adding a little glass of water, and, once turned off the stove, season to taste with salt and oil.
Below, in healthy eating, we explain to you why we use the olive oil only after turning off the stove.

Tips and menu planning

- We use chicken sausage to reduce fat and calories but you can use the sausage you prefer.

- You can also prepare this dish in advance (the day before).

- Make this lentil soup without meat: it's a tasty vegan dish!

- In the photo you can see a very tasty recipe you can read in the members-only area.

- But this lentil soup is a starter? a side dish? a main dish?
It depends on the occasions.
In very small amounts it can be combined with other tidbits in a starter. A classical antipasto platter, Italian-style
In a menu for special occasions it may be the base on which presenting other food as you see in the picture.
In your family menu it is a tasty one-plate meal eventually accompanied by seasonal vegetables.

Healthy eating

- There are two methods of cooking for a recipe like this: to sauté onions in olive oil and then add tomatoes, lentils and other ingredients or follow our steps exactly as described above and just add the olive oil when your stove is off that is after cooking.
The second way is certainly better from the healthy point of view. The reason lies mainly in being able to take advantage of the many nutritional properties of olive oil that otherwise would be lost in part.
The choice is yours.

- Other recommendation. The combination of pulses and meat should not be habitual. Otherwise the protein intake becomes excessive. Learn from the Mediterranean cuisine: the right combination is pulses with pasta!

What's the right wine for " Lentils in tomato sauce "?

Our suggestion for lentils in tomato sauce with sausage: Dolcetto di Ovada (red wine from Piedmont - Italy).
If you prefer the vegan version without sausage prefer a younger red wine such as Frascati.